FBI needs citizens to be alert, offer tips

The FBI wants to hear from you. The agency simply can't be effective without cooperation from the public.

You can't get in trouble by making a tip. On the other hand, the right tip at the right time can help prevent a major crime.

Vigilance is not enough, said Nestor Duarte, acting head of the local FBI office to the Times-Union editorial board. The key is to recognize "anomalies," language, things that make your hair stand up on your neck.

Say you're a chemical supplier in North Carolina who receives a phone call from Texas for a large order of material that could be used in a bomb. The caller asks strange questions, giving unusual shipping instructions.

You call the local FBI office, which then calls its El Paso office. The result: The person making the order was trying to make a bomb.

The FBI today is spending far more time trying to prevent crimes, Duarte said. Sept. 11, 2001, changed everything, including the agency's culture.

There are fewer bank robberies today. Bank holdups have been cut in half in the last decade, reported The Wall Street Journal. The reason is better security and tougher enforcement.

Now there is far more cyber crime. In fact, cyber crime is about to become the agency's No. 1 priority. There are many opportunities online. Since 2001, Internet crime has increased fivefold.

Willie Sutton said he robbed banks because that was where the money was. Now look:

- $29.5 million lost in bank robberies in 2012.

- $1.8 billion in check and debit card fraud in 2010.

Human trafficking is a growing issue. Jacksonville is a logistics hub so it is also a hub for runaways and organized trafficking operations. Toni Marie Chrabot, assistant special agent in charge in the Jacksonville division, says the traffickers often come and go quickly, trying to avoid being caught.

The FBI also handles public corruption cases (think the Jacksonville Port Authority). They take this seriously and seek to only make cases that are solid.

Jacksonville is a desirable location for agents, Duarte said. The climate is good, cost of living is reasonable, there's a new office and cooperation among law enforcement agencies is outstanding. Duarte credits the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for a collegial attitude. In a crisis, the various agencies get together and look for ways to use their expertise more than seeking credit.

Meanwhile, he is preparing for brutal across-the-board spending cuts that could take effect soon if the so-called sequester comes through. FBI Director Robert Mueller has warned that the cuts would hurt public safety across the nation.

For instance, they would force furloughs of personnel and cut back investigations. Reductions would have the effect of cutting 2,285 employees, Mueller said in The Associated Press.

All in all, the FBI could stand to do public outreach if only to increase the tips and cooperation from the public.

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